A Certain Former Hero
by UrsaMJR
Summary: With a long history of heroism now behind him, how will the regular businessman Kamijou Touma fare when his normal life is disturbed once again by the mistakes of his past? Not to mention his unstable mind.
1. Prologue: Visit

The soft and tender chime of a small bell rang between the four walls of a quaint restaurant found within the streets of District 7.

It signalled the arrival of a new face within the establishment, a new customer to add to the ever shifting group of people that found themselves in the comfort of the cream coloured leather seats of the building.

They would walk through an oak clad doorway, be greeted by a smiling face from one of the waiters and promptly led to their respective table where their order would be placed, and if they were in the company of another, they would talk until said order was set upon the table.

This was the usual sight for those who worked in the restaurant. A pleasant one at that due to the rather secluded nature of the building.

It was stationed in the far corner of the district, away from many crowds and busy streets, but it still generated a healthy amount of traffic going in and out the restaurant doors to be able to stay afloat financially.

It was normal, completely ordinary and plain. Yet to those who come here regularly, it is a place of wonder. Simply due to the fact this establishment was run by an extraordinary man.

One 34 year-old Kamijou Touma.

Like the restaurant he ran he seemed nothing but ordinary, a regular businessman. The only thing that would stand out from his appearance for those who met him. Was his unusually spiky black hair and the countless minute scars that ran over his face and what little of his skin he would show under his uniform.

When asked about his hairstyle he would simply reply "It's something of a memento from my younger days, a thing I've gotten used to seeing in the mirror when I wake up." And if you'd inquire about the numerous blemishes on his flesh, he would respond with an equally casual "These are just memories of a more exciting life."

It was certainly mysterious, but noone could deny that the man was a kind and peaceful soul, maybe a tad frustrated as his 'Misfortune' leads to him being a bigger klutz than any of his greenhorned staff.

Plates, numerous glass cups, trays and utensils somehow find their way either slipping from his grasp, pouring their contents onto him, stabbing him in various places, going missing only to be found somewhere in the coming days, broken or simply all of the above all at once.

It is certainly an amusing thing to witness as a customer, you would usually expect this level of clumsiness from the other staff and not from the owner, but unlike the orthodox happenings of other establishments. This one was occupied by a curiously misfortunate individual.

"Such misfortune!" Speaking of, the man once again found himself in the most precarious of situations.

With a ceramic bowl atop his head and a large puddle of what can only be assumed to be water under his derriere, he sat on the kitchen floor drenched from head to toe in the aforementioned fluid.

"Are you alright Kamijou-san?" Came a worried voice from above the man. There stood a shorthaired brunette about 16 years of age, a part-time worker he hired to make up for the lack of help he had this winter.

She offered him a hand which he graciously took, making sure not to slip once again on the puddle beneath his feet.

"Sigh...I'm fine Yuriko-chan, it's just my usual misfortune I've gotten accustomed to." Taking the bowl off his head and setting it on the kitchen counter, he turned himself toward the part-time worker with a quizzical look. "Say, weren't you supposed to help Fumiko-san unpack the delivered goods we received?"

The girl quickly found herself under the man's questioning gaze, turning her head to the side she folded her arms under her chest and gave a nervous laugh in response. "H-Hehe…about that, I may or may not have accidentally punctured the corn oil while opening the box it was shipped in. So I was thinking of getting something to clean it up with." She answered honestly before turning to the tall raven haired man with a faint blush of embarrassment dusting her cheeks.

"Well it's fine, you don't have to worry about something like that. We get enough accidents here when it concerns me so I can't really tell you off for doing what I do most." He rubbed the back of his neck and looked at the flustered teen with a reassuring smile directed at her.

"Take what's not leaking and put it in storage, then clean up the oil you've spilled. In the meantime I'll clean up the spill I made. Come on get going now!" He lightly karate chopped her with his left hand, moving to the sink with the bowl.

"Yes sir!" With renewed vigour the teen raced off in search of cleaning equipment, the previous nervousness now gone.

"What an energetic girl." Kamijou looked over his shoulder at the retreating back of his part-timer. She was the newest addition to the roster of people he hired to help him run his business, she was quite sociable, tending to the customers due to her friendly and welcoming nature as well as her unrivalled amount of dedication to the job.

He felt proud of himself for hiring such a wonderful help, even if it was part-time.

Now, rolling up the sleeve of his left arm he quickly finished washing the stained bowl. Before long he got to the puddle on the ground, making sure to clean under the counter as to avoid another strike from the health inspector due to mold accumulation.

'_Hirataka-san is ruthlessly meticulous, I swear he has it out for me_.' Cried internally the ever struggling Kamijou.

After a minute or two he was done, discarding the now wet rag before walking into the main area of the restaurant which was the place all his beloved customers gathered. He couldn't help but feel a smile creep up his face at the sight of happily conversing people and joyous laughter he heard, this is one reason he loved this job. To see the satisfied and smiling faces of his patrons when they stayed in his restaurant, to feel a sense of pride whenever they praised his cooking and to experience a simpler lifestyle, as the manager, cook and waiter of his own restaurant.

It definitely felt better than the constant fight for survival and peace his younger self had to face almost on a weekly if not daily basis.

Scanning the room one last time he let his eyes set on a familiar face framed with silver locks and decorated by striking yet calm green eyes. His breath hitched, his body stiffened and in the next second he was throwing himself into the kitchen once again.

"Index..?" He whispered to himself as he sat on the now clean tiled floor with his back against the wall.

'_Why was she here? Shouldn't she be in England tending to the Puritan Church? Was she here to devour my whole food stock again_'

He lifted his head so he could peek through the open wall that let people peer into the happenings of the kitchen. He found it very appealing. In his opinion, if you could see the chef make the food you're about to eat, it makes you all the more eager to try it. So because of this belief he now had a way to look at the silver haired Archbishop of the English Puritan Church.

She sat eating a strawberry shortcake. Actually she had in front of her 5 of said cakes waiting to be devoured while she finished the first she held in her hand.

Kamijou silently sweatdropped. "Bad habits die hard I guess…sigh, I don't think the shipment we just received will cover her gluttonous nature. And now that she receives funding from the Magic Side she can indulge herself even more! Such Misfortune." Whispered the stressed businessman.

She was dressed in a casual pair of black jeans and a white blouse that did nothing to hide the prominent curves of her body. She had certainly grown to be a fine looking woman, but from the visit she paid him a year ago, he knew she was still her childish and demanding self, but now she had a flavour of maturity that made her all the more haughty and annoying.

'_Well, I guess I can't hide forever. This is my restaurant after all..._' Thought the ever unlucky being known as Kamijou Touma.

Stepping out of his hiding spot he curtly walked over to the woman who by now had finished her third shortcake and was already starting her fourth. As soon as she saw him walking over, the busty Bishop slammed her hands on the table and stood up, promptly shouting the name of the person she knew since that faithful day he found her on his balcony.

"Fhouma!" Well, she tried but the shortcake she so eagerly stuffed in her mouth prevented any coherent word to escape. A moment later she started to cough violently, a piece of the cake having lodged itself in her throat.

She quickly rectified her situation and took a long hard intake of air. "Ahh! I thought I was going to die!" Sighed the easily excitable lady. "Touma! Why haven't you visited me!? Or gave me a call!? You know how bored I was only sitting in my office and doing paperwork all day!? It's so tiresome!"

"Ah, so that's what this sudden appearance of yours was about…" Said Kamijou in a deadpan tone quickly picking up on her true reason for coming over.

"W-Wait! No, I don't mean to skip out on my duties as the Archbishop to hang out with you! I-I-I just missed you that's all. Hmph!" Said the silver haired liar as she huffed to try and hide her blunder.

"Your words are very self incriminating you do realise that? And it is very good to see that you miss this Kamijou-san so much." The blatant sarcasm was practically oozing from his last sentence.

"But I really did miss you Touma! It's just that work is so boring and tedious. I left it in the hands of Itsuwa for now so I can come and enjoy some time with you…and possibly have a taste of some of your cooking…" The last bit was said in a very hushed tone which Kamijou heard but choose to ignore.

"Well it has been some time since we last talked, would you care to wait until we've closed up shop so we can talk properly? I still have an hour or so before the day's end." Picking up the empty plates Index left on the table he looked at the clock on the wall and back at his excitable customer.

"Sure thing Touma, but get me one of your delicious lobster dishes in return." Happily smiled the welder of 103,000 Grimoires.

"You say one but you probably mean ten. Well I'll leave it cooking in the back until the shift is over. Try not to make a scene in front of my customers while you wait." He grimaced, remembering her last visit and how destructive it was to his financial standing.

As the customers slowly dispersed and the winter day drew to a close, the spiky haired man bid farewell to his last customer and the workers that had ended their shift.

He soon sat down at Index's booth, eyeing her last lobster which she picked apart so hungrily leaving him with some doubts on how he managed to feed her black hole of a stomach all those years ago.

"So, how are things doing back in England?" He chose to start, hopefully taking her mind off the delicious treats.

After gulping down a mouthful of the crustacean she lifted her gaze to meet his, a rather annoyed and furrowed look meeting his. "You would know if you ever visited. Sigh…well, the church has been rather taxing to manage, Carissa being appointed the throne didn't help things either. What with some minor cabal's not being too happy with the new Queen and her decision to increase scientific influence in the country." Visibly slumping in exhaustion she continued.

"Besides that whole debacle, we're cooperating with the Roman Catholic church in tracking down the ones responsible for the destruction of Santa Maria del Fiore, the famous cathedral in Florence, Italy."

"From what I've heard, most of the artwork and contents of the cathedral were not found in the wreckage." He has certainly heard of the incident, the news was quite lively that day. Who wouldn't want to report about a famous landmark like that burning to the ground? It was ruled as a freak accident following reconstruction.

But with the Puritans and Catholics working together to solve this mess, he could only speculate that they've found leads tying this tragedy to the Magic Side.

"Yes, that is true. We still have no idea who did it, but for whatever reason they've stolen many of the works found in the building, we believe that because we've found a great many ties leading to the heist on the Louvre Museum last year." Index, the ever knowing library of Grimoires explained.

"Specifically we've found traces of magic at both locations that sink up with one another. Although the specific origin of the magic used I've yet to discover. Which makes it hard to get a lead on any single group or cabal." She sighed, clearly fed up with their lack of findings on the matter.

"You definitely have a mountain of work to do." With a chuckle at the Archbishop's expense he soon leant forward with a tender smile. "Who would've known that that little bratty kid you used to be would grow into this still bratty but dependable leader? Personally this Kamijou-san believes it was due to his own influence."

"Touma…you're so mean! Have you no heart to consider a maiden's feelings!?" Shouted the fair maiden who now resembled a wild beast as her hands tried to strangle the man over the table.

"W-Wait wait Index-san! This unfortunate Kamijou ment it as a compliment! A compliment!" Shouted said unfortunate being in return, all the while he attempted to keep the woman from strangling him.

"What kind of compliment insults you before the nice part comes? Huh!?" Now mounting the table and choosing to pull at Kamijou's hair, the green eyed beast continued her advance.

"Get your feet off the table! Who do you think cleans them!? And stop pulling my hair or I'll grow bald before my prime!"

"You've already passed your prime you old man!" These words stabbed into his exposed heart more than he would have liked, and Kamijou soon found himself hurt both physically and spiritually.

"H-Hey! Take that back! This Kamijou-san needs to keep his illusion alive a little while longer!" With tears threatening to spill from his eyes at the Archbishop's merciless actions he tired to patch up what little of his self image her comment left him.

"Then I will shatter that illusion!" Tackling him to the ground and off his seat, she struggled to get atop of him before doing the one thing she most felt like doing.

Namely, sinking her teeth into his scalp.

"GYAAAAHHH!! SUCH MISFORTUNE!!" With the sadly familiar feeling of her teeth now literally embedded into his skull he let out a scream that was itself, very familiar to him.

At least his words were proved true with her very unladylike behaviour (assault).

After about a few more minutes of back and forth between the two, they returned to their prior seats. The difference being one Kamijou covered in teeth marks and having his spiky hair disheveled, while the silver haired woman sat with a pout unbefitting her age.

While he rubbed the sore spots on his head Kamijou took to fill the quiet space between them with another question. "Where will you be staying for the next…how long are you staying for exactly?"

"Well if you must know, I'm staying at the nearby hotel. I was planning on visiting for about three more days then flying back to England." She actually wanted to stay longer, but her duties as the current head of the Church made it difficult to even acquire what time she already had.

Kamijou nodded, tapping his hand on the table while looking back at his companion. "You could've stayed with me and spared the expenses, I do have a guest room to lend you."

"While that would have been wonderful, I assure you it is fine. I don't want to impose on you too much, I know how hard it was to keep up with me when we were younger." She let out a soft chuckle, reminiscing on the time she was labeled a freeloader in the dorm of one highschool boy.

"You can say that again.." Whispered Kamijou who received a kick from under the table for his comment. "But I would've been fine with it, I rarely get to see you as is." A faint smile made its way to his lips, in turn the lady gave a smile of her own.

"How have you been? And your arm?" Asked the now cheerful Archbishop.

In response to her question, Kamijou absentmindedly scratched the stump at his elbow where most of his right arm used to be. "I've been fine, running a restaurant isn't as easy as it seems, especially not while lacking a limb, but I've been holding out well. Although the constant misfortune I could do without…" He sighed in slight annoyance. Even after losing the Imagine Breaker his rotten luck remained the same, to the surprise of not only him but everyone else who knew of the power he once held in his right hand.

He hadn't thought much of the loss of his limb, as unsurprisingly enough he was accustomed to such punishment, not only due to his escapades with Othinus, but also with the few times it was severed in unrelated events. Which was very concerning now that he thought about it.

What had really annoyed him was learning his misfortune was not in fact linked with his right hand and the power beneath it's skin, but with his very being. Kamijou Touma still remained the unluckiest person alive, which squashed any hope of him living a life free from misfortune.

Whatever deity was out there, he now knew it definitely had it out for him.

But, he's not so shallow as to let a little misfortune get him down, so Kamijou Touma remained as he always was. Minus the hand and forearm.

"I keep telling you that you should get one of those prosthetics I've seen the city blabber on about. I'm sure Hamazura-san could help you out there."

"While getting one would certainly be a great help, I don't really want to bother maintaining a robotic appendage I know I'm just going to have screw up and malfunction on me. From what Hamazura has told me, Mugino has enough trouble with maintenance as it is, I couldn't imagine what adding my misfortune to the equation would do. Although she says cooking is a good way to handle it." He waved off her suggestions, imagining a couple scenarios where the robotic arm would catch fire, strangle him, explode or do some other unsavoury thing to the man.

"Sigh…Well, either way I'm glad you're fine. Hopefully you're not getting yourself into trouble." Index shot him a questioning glare, making the businessman sweat rather nervously in response.

He put up a hand defensively, shaking his head at her before speaking. "N-No no, I have my hands full with managing the restaurant as is, most of the time I don't even leave the building due to the amount of paperwork and mishaps my misfortune causes the establishment."

"Mmmm…good, Touma is still Touma so I worry for you." Huffed the silver haired woman.

Kamijou found a smile on his face. "Thank you Index. I'm sorry to worry you so much when you already have your hands full." Reaching over the table he patted her head. It was an action he got used to over the years, and the Grimoire Library definitely didn't mind as she silently nuzzled her head against his palm.

"I missed talking to you, I miss being here and annoying you from time to time." She confessed meekly, continuing to keep her head down to enjoy the older man's tender hand a few moments more.

"I missed you too. You're always welcomed to come and visit. And while I'd love to do the same, the cost for international travel is very high these days." He chuckled softly and removed his hand. Standing up to clean the table from the lobster dish she had finished.

"It's already 10PM. How about I escort you back to the hotel?" Asked the man with dishes in hand, looking once again at the clock on the wall.

"Muuu…I wanted to talk to you more. Yawn….but I guess I am pretty jetlagged from the flight. Hmm, alright. But!" She quickly scampered over to a hung winter jacket, which she quickly put on and out of one of the pockets she pulled out a small black box wrapped in a white bow.

"Since I rarely get to see you, I wanted to give you a present to remember me by. It will help you keep this dependable leader in your thoughts, and possibly remind you to call." She once again shot him a glare that he laughed off nervously.

Approaching the spiky haired boy she thrust the present at him, letting him take the little box.

"You didn't have to do this Index, I already think of you plenty. You're not the only one who's worrying about someone."

This comment made the woman's cheeks blush with embarrassment. Once again he said something so insensitive to a maiden's feelings, but this time she didn't mind it much. "Stupid Touma…Well a little bit more of me won't hurt! So open it!"

"Yes yes, right on it." Laughing slightly the raven haired man undid the bow and set the box on the table, where he opened it and revealed a silver necklace made from many small cylindrical pieces strung through with a fine dark thread. Each cylinder had an inscription, ones he could not understand the context of due to it being inscribed in Latin.

"While I know you're not one for gaudy jewellery, I thought something simple like this would fit your tastes. Plus, it's also a magic item that makes the wearer more aware of their surroundings. As I know how many times you've slipped or tripped on something."

He could not deny that, as he literally slipped and drenched himself some hours ago. But she didn't need to know that. "Thank you Index. Again, you really didn't have to." Nonetheless he picked up the necklace, inspecting the fine craftsmanship of the piece before he noticed another set of words on a particular part of the necklace. A single silver cylinder with 'Index Librorum Prohibitorum' etched onto its surface.

"You made this?" The man asked, slightly surprised at this.

"Mhm!" Stated the silver haired woman proudly. "After all, homemade gifts are the best gifts!" He couldn't argue, as he himself taught her that.

Index then took the necklace from him, and while standing on her tippy toes hooked her arms around the man's neck before placing the piece of silver around its rightful place. The sudden proximity did leave the man somewhat flustered, but he composed himself a moment later.

"It looks so good on you Touma." She shone him a bright and beautiful smile, one he couldn't help but return once again all the while he stroked her head.

"That it does. Now, let me put these dishes away and lock up before we go."

She nodded and waited for the unfortunate man to close up shop.

_ _ _ _

With the lights off and the door to the restaurant now locked, Kamijou turned to his partner as he pocketed his keys. The winter air was rather cold and frisk, making his skin shudder from time to time even in his coat.

"It's so cold~" Shivered the former nun, not fairing any better in the winter night.

"We'll get you to the hotel quickly then." Kamijou said as both of them made their way down the streets of the quiet city.

"Academy City has changed quite a bit hasn't it?" Asked the woman out of the blue, looking ahead of them at all the stagnant light of apartments, stores, streetlights and all. Not to mention the great spire of light the newly constructed space elevator was. Shining a brilliant gold.

"That's where that old convenience store used to be." Pointed Index to a lot of land now decorated with some foliage and a few benches underneath a bus sign. "And right by it was a cart that sold crêpes, the street over had that popular restaurant we often went to."

"I feel like you remember them mostly for the food I got you." Although he couldn't disagree, many places he frequently visited through the years had changed or were simply not there anymore. He might be feeling a bit sentimental, but he still missed walking the streets of the city after school and going out with Index to all those places she mentioned.

Had he known how time-consuming his adult life would have been he wouldn't have complained so much about all those supplementary classes taking up his weekends and summer days. Now he barely has any time to even indulge in the simplest of wonders the city has to offer.

Even on holidays, he found something that would need his attention. Worst of all he was still a single and unmarried man! Not even one date in the past 10 years! But, even so he didn't know if he could afford to take the time off to find anyone willing to date the unlucky Kamijou. Not to mention all the responsibilities that go along with having a girlfriend.

"Touma." Came the voice of his compatriot, stirring him from his thoughts. "Honestly, you are always stuck in your head."

"Ah, sorry sorry. I was just thinking about what you said. You're right, the city has definitely changed, and I miss having the time to go around walking it's streets."

"You could always take a vacation you know? I'm sure a few days won't kill your business." Index skipped past him, walking backwards as she gazed up at him.

"I don't know…I don't have an accountant or anyone that can handle the finances, so I'm struggling with all of that paperwork. Not to mention the constant meetings with possible sponsors, still no luck there, and all the new necessities Hirataka-san made to the health and safety regulations I have yet to satisfy." As he went on his mood dropped considerably, resulting in his shoulders slumping in defeat while the former nun lovingly patted his back.

"There there Touma, it's going to be fine. I still think a day or two won't be too much of a hassle. Plus, you owe me some attention." She puffed out her cheeks, making him regain some vigour with a light chuckle at her expression.

"I guess I do. I'll see if I can get two days off just to spend some time with you. Sound good?"

Her expression immediately perked up, and the woman quickly took his left arm in a tight embrace. "Thank you Touma!"

"Don't thank me just yet, I still don't know if I'll be able to. But I promise I'll try." Smiled the spiky haired man.

After a few more minutes of comfortable silence, where the woman would cling to his arm with a tender blush on her cheeks, they found themselves in front of the large entrance to the hotel the Archbishop stayed at.

"Well, take care Index. I'll give you a call tomorrow morning if I'm able to free up my schedule."

"If you're not able to accompany me around the city I'm still coming to your work to chat." She gave the man one last hug and turned to the door. "Oh, and I'll be sure to have a taste of your cooking while I'm there." She added cheekily.

"I'll be more than happy to oblige, although in moderation of course." He waved goodbye, seeing her form vanish through the door before he himself walked off to his own residence.

While he walked Kamijou was left to his own thoughts, trying to piece together how he was going to manage to put off all that work.

"I wish I could afford more staff." Sighing he continued to ponder.

But a second later he heard it.

A shout.

"Come here you little shit!"

Turning his head to the side he saw two guys of about 20 years of age occupying the alleyway right by Kamijou. They were both grabbing a teenage boy that seemed not to like their presence all that much, as he was stumbling along with a wallet in one hand and a pen in the other, trying to resist the grip of the two older individuals.

"Help! Someone!" He tried to struggle free but found his strength lacking as both men were much larger than him. But then he landed a swift kick to the groin of one of the men. It gave him ample time to stab the tip of his pen into the second one's hand, making him recoil from pain.

He promptly ran down the opposite end of the alley where the two men gave chase after recovering. "After the bastard!"

Kamijou stood watching, clenching his fist in anger at the sight. He pieced it all together with little trouble.

Two punks were after some kid's money and were not afraid to be violent about it.

The spiky haired businessman ground his teeth.

He clenched his fist so hard his knuckles turned white.

But, he pulled out a phone. Dialing the right number as he stood with a downtrodden expression.

"Hello, I would like to report an assault in District 7. The exact street is-. Yes, two men in their early twenties were chasing a male teen about 17 years old." He hated it.

"Both are tall and wearing black hooded jackets with blue jeans to match." He hated how useless he felt right now.

"The boy was wearing a red beanie and black glasses, a white jacket and black jeans.…No, that is all." He hated how cowardly he was.

"My name is Kamijou Touma. Yes. Goodbye." He hung up, pocketing the phone and walking away from the scene.

He hated how quickly he turned away.

'_My name is Kamijou Touma, a regular businessman. This does not concern a normal businessman like me…_'

He hated that excuse.

Looking ahead of him, at all the stagnant lights of apartments, stores, streetlights and all. The great spire of light the newly constructed space elevator was, shining a brilliant gold. He couldn't help but hate it.

He hated the city he couldn't protect anymore.

Turning the all too calm and steady gaze of his to the sky, to the same map of stars that sat unchanged all his life. He could help but hate it.

He hated this world filled with dreadful events he couldn't change.

He hated it.

He hated it.

He hated it.

He hated it. He hated it. He hated it. He hated it. He hated it. He hated it. He hated it. He hated it. He hated it. HE HATED IT! HE HATED IT! HE HATED IT!

**HE HATED IT ALL!**

But…

_He hated that fucking God most of all._

Now, as he dropped his cold eyes that masked a river of rage and emotion beneath the surface. He pulled out a small plastic bottle of pills from his pocket and popped one of them into his mouth.

Pocketing the single useless hand he had remaining along with the bottle of pills, he moved his worn and scarred legs down the empty streets of Academy City and made his way back home.

_ _ _ _

**A/N: Hello there, welcome to the bottom. As this is my first fanfiction I've ever wrote, I feel as though an introduction is in order.**

**Call**** me Ursa, it's a pleasure to meet you all. Well, the few who were interested enough to read all of this and reach the end.****Anyway, as stated above this is my first fanfiction, and the first story I've ever took the time to actually write. I've had so many ideas as to what to do and how to do it, so many plots and scenarios I wanted to type out. But I was always unsatisfied with the product and anxious as to how I am to write it**.

**So****, I said what the hell. I'm writing and I don't care how it turns out, because I have a story I'd like to share and that is all I need!**

**Speaking of, this story is something I've been mulling over for a few weeks. Adding and subtracting ideas to the plot, making excuses on why I shouldn't write it and all that good stuff. So excuse me if my unsure nature made the reading experience a tad awkward.**

**As**** for the story, how did you find the prologue? I'm nervous to read the reviews but I also tell myself I shouldn't worry too much. Was it somewhat interesting? Are you intrigued to see what happens next to our favourite unlucky boy turned businessman? Argh…I just don't know if I've done well or not.**

**But, nonetheless I'll be working on the next chapter, which will hopefully be a tad bit longer than this one.**

**My**** goal is 10k per chapter, or as close as I can get to it. 5.5k is a good start I believe, but 10 feels so far away. I've already exhausted my prologue ideas! For fucks sake…****Anyway, I hope to see you again next time, with a longer and possibly a more entertaining chapter to read.**

**Tootles~**


	2. Issues

Hello there, welcome back if you've read the last chapter, and if you're a new face then I'll say "Hello!"

To not waste your time with greetings and introductions, let's get into the reviews of the last chapter.

**whwsms**: Yeah, many stories now get harder to relate to as you grow older. But I'm still a kid at heart so I don't mind it too much. I've also read many of those time-skip stories, but as you've said they've been dropped rather suddenly so we never got a continuation nor an end. But I will try and be the exception, I don't intend for this to be a long fic, but I will definitely finish it. I really do hope Kamachi continues writing Index after NT, I need more!

**D.N.Works**: Thank you for the praise, and yes I will be leaving many more questions for you dear readers to piece together.

**Guest**: Sadly enough, our Kamijou-kun is single and is not ready to mingle. I haven't read NT22 yet, nor will I be able to. As I'm still on 20. But I do know what happens here and there. 34 is the magic number.

**BlueJack22**: Thank you, thank you. I'm very pleased by your reaction. And don't count our unlucky ex-hero out just yet! We have many more chapters to go, so you never know if the adventure is over. And I too believe he'd open something like a restaurant or bakery, much like what MrQuestionMark has wrote about in his BTL series.

**StrangerGuy**: Thank you, and I'll definitely be writing more.

**Dark Tyrant-Fool**: Thank you, you'll come to realise all of those things once we are moving at a faster pace. I'll be sure to dive into some of the characters we all know and love some other time.

**MrQuestionMark**: Thank you for the praise, knowing you enjoy the prologue when you were one of the main inspirations I had for writing it puts a huge smile on my face.

The gap will be filled slowly but surely, many things will unravel to reveal the past Touma has been through to get to where he is now. I hope it makes you look back at the story as a whole and brings you a sense of "Ahhhh….it all makes sense." And I chose Index simply because she would definitely be there for him throughout the years, with a relationship between them that has grown all throughout their experiences. I also really love writing those warm moments between the two, as it just shows how much they trust one another.

Kamijou Touma is a misfortunate being, that is the universal constant in my opinion. Plus, being a tad sadistic is fun.

I'll be sure to fulfill that curiousity of yours. And I may have failed this time but that 10k dream is still alive!!

**Yourfellowwriter**: Thank you, I do hope I continue to pique your interests with the coming chapters.

**fencer29**: Joseph's makes an appearance this chapter, so it certainly hasn't been replaced by our Kamijou.

And I also agree, Imagine Breaker or not, trouble will find him.

**ikanparifish**: The praise is very welcomed, although while I don't believe I brought anything original to the table as there are a few time-skip stories out there, I am certainly trying to put myown spin on it.

I'd like for all the characters to feel as though they're more mature, as well as remaining the same. Kamijou will definitely be feeling it this chapter.

**Majin Othinus**: I take pride in my ability to spell check and maintain proper grammar. But I still mess up from time to time.

Mmm…we'll see about that, Kamijou may be holding out on us. And Othinus, well she'll show herself sooner or later. Hopefully this wasn't too long a wait, as I really want to get into a good pace for uploading.

Now that those are done, onto the story! Also, should I use a disclaimer? I'll do it this time but I need to know for certain.

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Raildex franchise, nor will I ever. It is the property of Kazuma Kamachi and the respective anime studios without which I wouldn't have even known it existed.**

Onto the story…

_ _ _ _

_It was dark._

_A location completely and utterly devoid of light, without so much as a glimmer of it._

_It seemed to stretch out infinitely. With no end in sight, only complete and utter darkness that surrounds all._

_"Hahahahahahahahahahaha……"_

_There was no land, no sky no coherent direction. It was simply darkness_

_"Hahahahaha….."_

_Darkness surrounding him on every front._

_"Ooooooh Kamijoooouuu-kuuuun~!…."_

_The sight of complete and utter failure. He laid in that space that reminded him so much of failure._

_"I know you hear me Kamijou-kun~!…"_

_Worst of all._

_"You can't pretend not to…not when I'm in your head…"_

_He was there._

_"…..Fuck off you bastard….Let me rest.." Came a hoarse defeated sigh from one lonely existence in that dark surrounding void._

_"Ah, but I can't do that can I Kamijou-kun~? I can't have my one and only friend forgetting about me." Yet another voice filled the space, a more joyful and serene tone. One brimming with pure unrestrained amusement._

_"………………….…."_

_"Come ooooon~! Stop ignoring me….." The voice spoke once again, digging it's annoying existence into Kamijou's ears._

_"……………………."_

_"Sigh…fine, have it your way Kamijou." The voice without a body, nor face to tie it to turned to a dull and bored tone._

_But in the next moment it would burst out in joyous laughter once again, when the whole void flickered a deep red and a bloodcurdling cry from the silent Kamijou was heard._

_"ARGGHHHHHHHHHHHH!!! NO WAIT, I'M SORRY I'M SORRY I'M SORRY I'M SORRY!!!!! MAKE IT STOP!!!! PLEASE!! PLEASE!! PLEASE!!" Echoes of his pleading cries filled the now red stained plane, mixed together with the guttural laughter that came from the other occupant._

_"Hahahahahaha!! O-Oh, how funny it is to see that tough guy persona break apart. Ah...brings back memories. Ahem, now Kamijou-kun. Let's be nice and-" The being couldn't finish it's sentence, as the perpetual moaning of pain and sorrow grew louder. Like a twisted crescendo of whaling screams._

_"YES!!! J-JUST PLEASE MAKE IT STOOOOP!!" Tears began to spill from his eyes knowing even a second longer would drive him to the brink of madness._

_"Well if you had let me finish I would've, but since you're so disrespectful to your superiors I think I'll keep at it for a few more moments~…" The tone of the speaker contorted in a sweetly sadistic fashion._

_And once more, Kamijou Touma screamed._

_And cried out._

_And shouted into the hellscape of deep red._

_Letting loose a painful throat splitting roar._

_As he laid on nothingness, Kamijou could only wail in torture._

_"What a wonderful start to a morning. Now, let's continue." Just like that, the world removed it's cloak of red and bore that same darkness once more._

_The pain stopped, and he was quiet. Not of his own volition, simply because the other being decided it had enjoyed enough of his lovely cries and silenced him so he could listen._

_Silence brought by a lack of vocal cords._

_"Mmmmm.…sometimes I forget how good silence is. Well, now that I have your attention. I want to, like always, remind you of your colossal failures."_

_The dark shadowy world twisted, spiraling and converging into a single point the size of a marble._

_As the void was stripped of its darkness it gained a stark white appearance, contrasting with the newly formed object._

_The single marble then split into three, those three started contorting and expanding, taking shape in the form of a trio of bipedal shadows._

_They were human no doubt. Yet they had no depth to them. They were only 2D silhouettes that shifted and changed to match a familiar scene that he had burned into his retina not too long ago._

_He remembered it clearly._

_He knew who this trio of shadows was, what they represented and what they were beginning to mimick._

_He laid there, unmoving and silently seething at the sight. As two of the three began pummeling the smallest of the trio, without so much as a shred of mercy and care._

_They beat, kicked, punched, spat, slapped, abused the quivering and downed silhouette._

_All the while the faintest of outlines framed their smiling faces._

_"How cruel of you to leave this poor defenceless boy to suffer at the hands of those mere thugs."_

_'I had no choice...'_

_"Oh but you did, you simply chose not to." Came the sadistic tone of the torturer. As if whispering into his ear while he read his thoughts._

_'I had no choice...'_

_"He ran and ran and ran, exhausting himself all the while his pursuers drew near."_

_'I had no choice…'_

_"Gasping for breath he stumbled and fell, meeting the enraged eyes of his hunters."_

_'I HAD NO CHOICE! YOU GAVE ME NO CHOICE!'_

_"And as he begged them, they only smiled at the successful hunt while tearing into their prey."_

_'FUCK YOU!!!'_

_"What you see before you Kamijou Touma. Is yet another person you've failed to save…"_

_'…….…….….'_

_"Oh, and the help you phoned for the poor lad. Never came to help in time. Only finding a weak little brat beaten within an inch of his life. Ahahahahahaha!!" Roared another sadistic laugh from the formless voice._

_"E-Ehehe..anyway, enjoy another night reliving your failures. I have more pressing matters to attend to…"_

_With that, the voice grew quiet. While Kamijou laid there in that white expanse, gazing upon the trio who by now replayed their brutal act three times now starting their fourth._

_He kept his gaze upon them. Taking in the sight of the same kick a fourth time, the same punch that followed and the insuing pain riddled movements from the one receiving them._

_It would replay again, and again and again._

_Until the alarm by his bed woke him from this nightmare. He would continue to be haunted by the events he could do nothing about._

_The people he could not save._

_'I'm so sorry..'_

_And all he would do, was repeat the same thing each and every time._

_'I'm so sorry…'_

_An apology to the one he couldn't rescue from this cruel fate._

_ _ _ _

***Riiiiiiiiing* *Riiiiiiiiing* *Riiiiiiiiing* *Click***

With a hand on his alarm clock, one Kamijou Touma woke from his sleep.

The same soft mattress and deep blue sheets greeted his weary tear filled eyes as the white ceiling above did nothing but remind him of this night's dream.

"………………."

He lifted himself off the pillow stained with his tears, the mattress didn't fare much better as it laid wet with the cold sweat that ran down his body.

He wiped the tears from his scarred face, left his bed and opened the drawer by his bed, pulling out a single bottle of pills which he took one of and into his mouth. He then pulled off the sheets and covers of his bed.

"I need to wash them again. Do I even have enough laundry detergent?" He asked himself.

He made his way through the door of his bedroom, having to go through the living room and kitchen before he got to the bathroom.

The place he lived in was not big by any means, merely an apartment made of four rooms.

His bedroom, which was only big enough to fit a single bed and a dresser, with a small bedside cabinet that housed his alarm clock.

The living room and kitchen were only a doorway away. You would enter through the living room, that was connected to the kitchen as part of an open plan.

The kitchen has only the bare minimum needed for someone who lived alone, a stove and refrigerator along with a microwave and small counter where his dishes were held.

In the middle of the kitchen was the small dining table, only having two seats on each end.

The living room was similarly minimalistic. Having only a leather couch and TV propped upon a similarly black coffee table. He had little use for the TV, as nothing really interested him to use it much.

The door to the outside was by the kitchen counter, while the bathroom and guestroom doors were both on the opposite side of the living room from his bedroom.

The guest room like his own bedroom was small, possibly a bit bigger than what he used as was the generous nature of one Kamijou Touma. It was similarly occupied with a bed and dresser, with a cabinet by the bed much like his.

The bathroom, being the smallest room in the apartment, had little space to spare. Fitting a sink and mirror with a toilet, along with the shower and washing machine.

Speaking of, he quickly tossed the dirty sheets into the machine, finding that he had little to no detergent left to use.

"Such Misfortune…" He'd have to buy some later today.

"Should I wash my clothes as well?" Lifting the hem of the plain white t-shirt he wore, Kamijou took a whiff of his own clothes and recoiled a second later from the smell.

"Cough…Mmmm, yep! And a shower wouldn't hurt."

Discarding his sweaty shirt and pants he stuffed them into the washing machine and promptly started it with those last few drops of detergent he had left.

Now he looked into the mirror above the sink, taking a good long look at his blemished skin filled with scars. He then moved his eyes to the missing appendage, grasping at what wasn't there with his remaining hand.

A few moments passed in silence before he caught a glimpse of the present his silver haired friend wrapped around his neck.

His fingers brushed against the silver, the once dead eyes he looked upon his missing arm with now gone, replaced with a faint smile.

"I should give her a call." Chuckling to himself as he remembered the hassle it was to clear most of his schedule for today. He spent a good portion of last night planning it out.

Nonetheless he went back to his bedroom, claiming some of his clothes from the dresser and jumping in the shower a little later.

Only to be rudely reminded how cold the water was when one turns on the washing machine cycle.

Which ment that Kamijou Touma had one cold shower that winter morning.

An hour later it was now 07:00AM, and Kamijou was now sat on his couch with a freshly gelled head of spiky hair as well as a new set of clothes on his back.

Fiddling with his phone he scrolled to the busty Archbishop's contact, debating if he should call this early in the morning but finding himself somewhat grinning at the thought of waking her up.

_'On one hand, she might wake up rather cranky and tired. On the other, I get to annoy her about it…'_ He weighed the options, making the grin on his face widen as the most amusing option tickled his fancy.

_'I better not, I won't hear the end of it later.'_ He decided against the idea, choosing not to tempt fate and the wrath of Index, and instead he fixed himself a cup of tea.

While waiting for the water to boil he turned on the TV, not really expecting anything special but the usual talkshows, morning news and crappy movies one found at this time.

And just as he thought, nothing was worth the time.

"Boring, boring, boring…"

He just sat there, starring at the changing channels with little interest.

Feeling like he wasted precious minutes of his life on the gadget, he then stood up, turning off the TV and going back to the stove, seeing the water was ready so he lazily made himself the tea and sat back down on the couch.

He looked at the clock above the TV, seeing that the time was now 07:30AM. Soon he'll be out the door and trekking along the streets of the city.

But for now the cup of tea he brewed called to him, so he took a pleasant sip of the sweet nectar.

"……………."

07:35AM

"……………."

07:40AM

_'…..……….Let's get dressed.' _

With an unmotivated step Kamijou took to the bedroom, putting on his everyday black jeans and his dark winter jacket over the blue shirt he already had on.

He was soon out the door, locking it and making his way down the hallway of the apartment complex and into the elevator where a soft tune from the overhead speakers fueled the tapping of his foot.

Now out the building and onto the streets, Kamijou passed by many people similarly walking to work, he even saw some students rushing to school knowing how late they were. It certainly brought back memories.

Boarding a bus he went deeper into the district, getting off at the street his restaurant was on.

Looking up at the large bold letters sitting above the entrance he couldn't help but cringe a bit.

"The Kamijou Restaurant." Or more commonly known as "Kamijou's."

It was so plain and boring it hurt. Not only that but it sounded too long and generic.

_'I really have no creativity...' _

Unlocking the establishment he heard the familiar chime of the bell. Stepping into the building his eyes were greeted by the sight of beige tiles under his feet, on both of his sides were booths with cream coloured seats and dark oak tables lined under the large windows framing the metropolitan landscape.

A counter sat in front of him, decorated a same oak brown as the tables, with a marble surface matching the colour of the seats, above which hung a plethora of liquor bottles, all incased in a glass cabinet.

Behind was the open wall that let others look into the kitchen that contained a large island workstation housing many sinks, cutting boards and cooking utensils.

The island was surrounded by stoves and large machines used to bake and cook many dishes, along with two refrigerators on either side. A single door was in the corner, which led to the storage area he kept all the supplies in.

"..………….."

He has worked effortlessly to make this restaurant what it is today, and he could only look upon it with a smile befitting a proud owner.

"Kamijou-kun, you're stuck in your head again."

"…!" A foreign voice entered his ears making the unlucky man jump out of his skin. He turned around to see a gray haired elderly lady wearing a cheeky smile as she passed through the open door.

"Sigh...Don't scare me like that Fumiko-san." Kamijou held a hand to his racing heart, being completely caught unaware by the woman.

"Sorry sorry Kamijou-kun, I didn't mean to. I just happened to catch you busy with your thoughts again" The elderly woman passed by him, entering the kitchen with Kamijou in tow.

"It's fine, although I'm somewhat scared I'll have a heart attack one day."

"You're still too young to be worrying about such things Kamijou-kun. If anyone should be worried about heart attacks it's this old hag right here." She chuckled at the lad, going over to a hanger with many white uniforms strung about and picking out her own.

"Either way, I still don't plan on kicking the bucket anytime soon, this Kamijou-san has yet to even find himself a girlfriend. So I'm not going to leave behind such an unfulfilled existence."

"You sure about that Kamijou-kun? From what I remember, you had a very nice long talk with a pretty young lady, did you not?" Inquired the older woman, leaning into Kamijou's personal space with dark eyes hungry for more information.

"N-Now now, Index is just a long time friend of mine. We don't have that type of relationship." Denied the shop owner, stepping back defensively.

"Ho~ But I did happen to see you two walking around yesterday. She seemed very eager to cling to you. You even led her to a hotel. Kamijou you sly dog you…"

"N-No that was ummm…I was just-" He never got a word in as a feminine shout interrupted his excuse.

"Kamijou-san found a girlfriend!?" An excited and lively Yuriko stormed through the kitchen doors. Her brown eyes sparkled much like Fumiko's as they bore into the older man.

"Where did you meet!? How long have you known one another!? How far did you go!?" She took his hand in both of her own and looked sternly into the man's blue eyes with passion only a schoolgirl looking for gossip could match. "I need all the details Kamijou-san."

"Time out!" Kamijou, now flushed red in embarrassment, stepped away while waving his hand at them.

"I keep telling you two that this Kamijou-san is too misfortunate to have a girlfriend. Index is one of my oldest and closest friends so it's a given we'd be so close." He dropped his hand and sighed at the rather saddening truth of his romantic experience.

"Kamijou-san, that's very disappointing for a man your age. Being a virgin at 34…" This attack critically damaged the already fragile confidence he had.

"You think I don't know that!? And I'm not a virgin!" With tears in his eyes he slumped on a nearby stool, an aura of defeat enveloping his being.

"Mmmmhhmmm~…" Came a disbelieving humm from the girl.

"Cheer up Kamijou-kun, I'm sure there's a girl out there waiting for you. If not, then you could always try the opposite end of the spectrum."

"Fumiko-san I'll have to ask you to drop that dangerous line of thought." He said with a deadpanned voice at the elderly woman's suggestion. "And Yuriko-chan stop fantasizing."

"Geh-!…" Caught was the yaoi fan.

"Well anyway, I wanted to inform you two on my absence today. So I'll be leaving the restaurant in your hands until the others arrive."

"Ho ho~ so it is a date…" Snickered Fumiko.

"I TOLD YOU IT'S NOT LIKE THAT!"

"Rest assured Kamijou-kun, you're in good hands. So go do what you must." Now having put on her uniform the woman smiled reassuringly at the spiky haired man.

"Yeah Kamijou-san, you can leave it to us!" Yuriko gave a salute, as she too donned her uniform.

"Good, do tell Mori-san to clean up storage, we'll be receiving a propane shipment later today. Yuriko you tend to the tables and the register as always."

"Roger!"

"Fumiko-san, you and Reina-san keep the kitchen busy, I'll stop by later today before the shift ends to help out."

"Understood Kamijou-kun."

"Good, good. Thank you both, you're a huge help." He bowed deeply to the both of them, leaving the kitchen a moment later with a wave of his hand.

He made his way to one of the windows, reaching for a switch on its frame which he flipped. The air-conditioning units roared to life, begining their usual job of keeping the inside temperature pleasant for the customers.

Kamijou then headed for the door, turning the sign saying 'closed' so it said 'open'. Going out the door the same bell chime filled his ears as he left the building.

_'I should probably call Index ahead of time, just to make sure she has time to get ready.' _

His phone met his ear some time later, ringing once, twice, and a third time before the familiar voice of Index came through the speaker.

"Touma. Good morning! Were you able to free up some time?" The slightly groggy yet cheerful tone of hers brought a smile to his face.

"Morning Index. Yes, I have myself the whole day to relax. I was calling ahead to let you know I'll be coming in about 15 minutes. Would that be enough time to for you to get ready?"

"Plenty, although I have to let Stiyl know I'll be leaving so he doesn't worry much. He was thinking of putting a tracking rune on me yesterday…." She did not sound all to pleased with that.

"Well you know how he is, like a mother hen. But don't tell him I said that or he'll kill me." Chuckling to himself at the image of a certain fire mage snapping at him for the comment.

"Hehe, yeah I won't. What do you have in mind for today?" Index asked him, curiousity obvious.

"I was thinking of having breakfast somewhere, then possibly taking a walk through the city for a little while. Anything else you'd like to do?"

"Breakfast would be amazing right about now. Oh, and if we're going to walk around Academy City then I want to visit all the places we used to go when we were younger, I haven't been here in a long time so revisiting those places seems like a lot of fun." She chirped happily, knowing that the man was just as sentimental as her and would love some time to reminisce.

"Sounds good. I'll make my way to the hotel now. See you there Index."

"See you soon Touma!" They bid one another goodbye then hung up.

'Honestly that girl…she knows most of the places we visited were food stalls. Then again, I can't complain having some more time alone to spend with her.'

"Wait, I'm making this sound way more romantic than it is….No Kamijou get it out of your head!"

The mostly sane man put one foot in front of the other and carried on to the hotel.

_ _ _ _

"Kamijou…." A rather annoyed voice was directed at the misfortune magnet known as Kamijou Touma, one belonging to a certain red haired flame sorcerer. Who, with his tall stature and intimidating image, now bore holes into the nervously sweating restaurant owner.

"H-Hehehe….fancy seeing you here Stiyl. How's the missus?" Was his awkward conversation starter.

"Don't play coy with me Kamijou. I came to ask just what exactly you were thinking of doing with Index today."

If looks could kill, he'd be in a casket already.

"W-We were thinking of having breakfast before taking a walk through the city. That's all I swear!" The mother hen comment really did fit the red haired priest. Seeing as his interrogation reminded Kamijou of an overbearing parent.

"…………….…." Once more his eyes bore into the shop owner. Suspicion printed upon his brown orbs. Yet, he gave an exasperated sigh, pulling out a box of cigarettes and quickly lighting one for himself.

"Of all the people that could be here, I'm the one who has to deal with this idiot…" Letting out a puff of smoke he loosened the tie of his matching black suit.

"Hey!"

"So, business going well? Hard to imagine you running a successful business if I'm honest." The lanky man leaned against the hotel wall, taking another drag from his cigarette.

"Gee..thanks. It's going well, just a tad stressful from time to time." He joined the redhead against the wall.

The sorcerer lifted the box of cigarettes and offered one to him. "It can't be any more stressful than being the bodyguard to the most sought after collection of magical knowledge, as well as having to put up with her lazyass."

Kamijou waved off his offer, sliding down the wall in a crouching position. "Probably not. But running around all day taking orders, cleaning, cooking and managing the restaurant is exhausting, not to mention my lack of luck that makes it all the worse for me."

"Try getting Index to do paperwork. She wouldn't be here if I didn't push her to finish that mountain of paper she was putting off for weeks." Stiyl grimaced, taking one long drag from the cancer stick to subdue those unpleasant memories.

Kamijou had a pretty good idea on the sorcerer's troubles. "I can only imagine all the buffet's you've promised her."

"Ugh….don't remind me. Heh, she got so hungry when I mentioned it she nearly ate the rest of the documents so she could finish faster."

They both had a good laugh at the gluttonous Archbishop when the creak of a heavy door roused their attention.

"Ah, there you are Touma. Ready to go?" The former nun now stood in front of the two men, wearing a pair of ripped blue jeans with her green, fur hooded jacket opened to reveal a dark gray sweater underneath.

"Mhm, let's get going. I'm sure you're pretty hungry already." He stood up, hearing the silent snicker the man beside him let out before walking to the girl.

She immediately grasped his arm, a hungry set of eyes and a beaming smile directed at him. "Well, what are we waiting for? Off to Joseph's!!" The woman pulled at his arm, eager to sink her teeth into some food.

"Ah, not so fast! Well, see ya' Stiyl, we'll be back in a few hours!" He turned to the fire magician bidding him a goodbye, one Index mirrored with a wave of her hand.

"Take care." Said the redhead, waving back at their retreating backs.

With the hotel now behind them, Kamijou and Index made their way to the aforementioned Joseph's Coffee and Restaurant, with a bus ride and short walk later, they were at its doors. It stood unchanged after so much time and still drew a hefty crowd of people. More so than Kamijou's own if he was to be completely honest.

They found their seats and placed their orders, an action that took quite some time due to Index's large appetite, making even the waitress pale as three pages of her notepad were now filled by a single customer.

So when the order was ready a whole cart was needed to deliver the food Kamijou's gluttonous friend had ordered. Unfortunately most of it went to waste, as a fold in the carpet below the wheels launched the contents of the cart toward the only person who was unlucky enough to be in their path.

One wide eyed Kamijou Touma, who had sensed something coming when the gift Index gave him sent a jolt to his mind steering him in the right direction.

But, it was futile.

"Ahh! Hot hot hot! Such misfortune!" What was worse was Index's decision to start with a few bowls of tomato soup.

After some profuse apologies from the waitress and manager, who offered them a free meal Index eagerly took advantage of, Kamijou sat smelling of soup and other things while the unbothered glutton stuffed her face.

"Well at least this reminded me to buy some detergent…" There were no positives here Kamijou-san.

"Look on the bright side, we got some free food and the manager even offered to pay for your drycleaning."

"That does not make me feel better." Discarding the paper towel he was using to wipe the food from his clothes, the unlucky man looked at his companion with a question in mind. "Hey Index. I don't want to bother you on your day off. But, I need your help with something."

This immediately made the girl cease her eating. "I'm always happy to help you Touma. But, what exactly do you need help with?"

"Well, yesterday when I was cleaning the tables I found this underneath one of them." The man produced a blue oval stone from his pocket, a white runic like marking covering most of its body. "I don't know what it may be but since that looks awfully like a rune to me, I thought you might."

"You'd be correct in thinking that, as this is an emitter rune. One specifically from Norse mythology." The ever knowing Grimoire Library explained.

"It emits a weak field of magic, something many combat type magicians use to conceal their true location. Usually by placing it somewhere away from themselves to trick their foe so they can make their getaway. But this one has been modified…"

"Modified? How exactly?" Not being too versed in anything magical, even after so many years of experience dealing with it, Kamijou still relied on his friend to enlighten him on these things.

"Well…with its use in creating a magic field, it also informs the caster on any changes delt to the field. The stone is a magical construct as well, so if it were to be destroyed they'd know it too." Scanning the stone with a frown on her face, the woman was deep in thought, thinking of any practical use it could have in the man's restaurant.

"So a magician is dropping stones in my shop for some strange reason…Great, just what I need in my life."

"I'd be careful from now on. Someone may be after you or they could want something from you, and I don't believe your heavenly cooking is what they're looking for." To diffuse the strained atmosphere the girl gave a small laugh, one the man met with his own.

"The only person I have to be worried about going after my food is you. But, I'll keep my eyes peeled don't worry."

With that the two ate the rest of their free food. Chatting from time to time about different things like friends normally do. They conversed about their hobbies, activities, random questions one would ask a friend they haven't seen in a long time.

Both enjoyed themselves in the company of the other, finally being able to catch up after so long.

And as they talked the time ticked by. An hour or so later they finished their meals and left the establishment with smiles on their faces and food in their bellies.

As they walked the streets of Academy City, Kamijou and Index continued to talk.

"Let it be know that this Kamijou-san has no intention of opening a food chain all the way to England. I have enough troubles with one restaurant and I don't need more."

"But Touma, if you did that then you could move to England and work there. I'm sure you could hire people to manage the others." One very clingy Archbishop pleaded with the man.

"I can't open a restaurant in England just because you're bored and lonely. Not to mention my broken English that would make hiring and managing much too difficult." While the man loved the idea of having an international food chain, who wouldn't with all the potential profit? The amount work needed to achieve that in an already oversaturated marketplace was too damn high for this regular businessman.

"Hmph…" With a pout the woman looked away in disappointment.

Kamijou, seeing her childish act, placed a hand on her head to pet it. "There there, I already promised I'd come and visit. I just don't want to make an investment that might not pan out im my favour."

"I know but I just-"

A gunshot silenced them both, as the window of the bank some buildings down shattered with a bullet speeding through it.

People turned and looked at the scene, some screamed and shouted for the law enforcement, while others started to record what they were witnessing.

An alarm quickly sounded in the building followed by another gunshot that drew screams from the inside.

A man with a red cap and black ski mask came out the building, a single pistol in hand which he emptied into the sky.

"Everyone scram if you know what's good for you! We have hostages so let the cops know they shouldn't take us lightly!" He shot off another clip for effect, making the already scared crowd disperse.

The duo of Index and Kamijou watched it all unfold. Kamijou grit his teeth and looked squarely at the gunman, wanting nothing more but to punch his lights out. But…

"Let's get out of here." He hurriedly pulled the former nun into the nearest alleyway, trying to get away as quickly as he could.

"Touma…?" Index, who half expected the man to charge the criminal, let herself be dragged by the man while she stared in disbelief.

Now safely away from the bank they could hear sirens and a few more gunshots resound in the air.

"I think this is far enough." Kamijou let go of the woman, turning to see her frowning slightly. "What is it?"

"I thought I'd have to be the one dragging you away, knowing how you usually are and all…" She looked him in the eyes which beared a slight discomfort and a nervous expression to match. He tried to laugh it off but soon found her peering deeper.

"Well what did you expect me to do against guns? I was useless against them when I had the Imagine Breaker and now I'm even more useless with this missing arm." He grasped the empty sleeve of his jacket, knowing full well that wouldn't have stopped him from taking action.

"I know that's true, but still…it's worrisome seeing you unhesitatingly leave when someone could be in danger. Touma…is everything alright?"

No. That was what he wanted to say, but with his situation as it was he could only don a fake smile and reassure the girl that everything was fine.

"Don't worry everything is fine, I just don't want to be a hindrance to Anti-Skill and make a bigger mess." He waved her worries off, stuffing his hand in his jackets pocket where it sat clenched as hard as it could out of sight of the worried woman.

"Are you sure? I worry that you're not telling me the truth."

_'I'm not.'_

"I am don't worry Index. Let's just get you home before something else happens, ok?" He let another fake smile grace his lips.

"If you say so…let's go." She walked past him, heading to her hotel while Kamijou stood still for a while. He looked at her back and grit his teeth so hard they were almost cracking.

But, yet again he pocketed his hand and pulled out a bottle of pills, downing a few before he went to catch up with the Archbishop.

_ _ _ _

"Thank you for today, I had a lot of fun. Even if the bit at the end made us finish on a sour note." Index, who now stood at the hotel doors addressed the spiky haired man that escorted her back.

He smiled sincerely, nodding in return. "I'm sorry for that, but I had fun as well. Come by tomorrow and I'll treat you to a new recipe I've made. I'm sure you'll find it tasty."

"Everything you make is delicious. Well, I have to go. Stiyl is going to make me go over some things concerning the Florence incident, I'm not looking forward to his nagging..." Her defeated sigh made the man laugh, giving her one last stroke on the head before saying.

"Keep working hard leader, I'm sure he'll lay off once he sees how much effort you put in."

"Mmm.. thank you again Touma. See you tomorrow."

"See you then." They parted ways soon after, the man leaving for his own residence.

_'Ooooooh Kamijoooouuu-kuuuun~!….' _An annoyingly cheerful voice invaded his mind_._

_'What the hell do you want?' _Kamijou spat.

_'Well I just wanted to see how you were doing. Since I know you aren't too happy with what happened earlier.'_

_'……………….'_

_'See? Well, besides a few gunshot wounds here and there, noone is in any mortal danger. Besides the gunmen of course, who both received a bullet to the head and a few in the heart. Those Anti-Skill sure are accurate.'_

_'Get out of my head this instant.'_

_'My my how scary. I don't mind either way, I just thought I'd pop by and remind you of your failures again, but I'm sure you're plenty aware of them.'_

_'Get OUT!'_

_'Hahahaha, I'm sure **she** would have been proud of you.'_

"GET OUT!!!" Kamijou gave an unrestrained shout which drew a lot of attention to the man. He turned his head down and kept walking, while the laughter of that accursed voice continued on in his mind.

_'Hahahahahaha!! Ahh..fine fine. See you tonight.' _

With the voice now gone he kicked at the ground, wanting to curse at the world as loud as he could, but he would only gain a few weird looks from the people around him.

So the ever unlucky man laid his eyes forward, those same empty blue eyes that were once filled with the determination to save the world, and to save others from the world.

He looked forward. Forward. Forward.

_"Keep moving forward…I know you'll succeed in the end..."_

_'But I can't... No more…I can't keep going like this. Something has to change. But what? What can I do? What can I do when I don't have a single choice to make!?'_

_"Keep moving forward…"_

_'..…………….'_

He sighed heavily. Calming his racing mind and aching heart.

_'Alright…I'll keep moving forward, just like you believed I could…'_

And that he did. He let his legs move him along the concrete jungle that was his home.

_ _ _ _

In an undisclosed location two figures stood talking, robes were draped on their bodies hiding most of their face save for the mouth.

One figure pulled out a small container, opening it to reveal something far too dark to see clearly. "We've acquired the Tool. Proceeding to the next objective of securing the main target." The object was handed over to the other figure, who with a grin accepted the box and took it into their hands.

A voice which was seeping I'll intent replied. "Good, make sure they are unharmed. I want to be the one to end him."

"Now what do you two think you're up to?"

"..!"

"..!"

Both figures turned, seeing a silhouette step into their dark domain which was lit up a second later with a flick of the intruders wand that now held a flame at its tip.

"Why don't the two of you lowlifes hand that over and we can do this quietly."

In turn both fired off an attack, one produced a barrage of stone while the other sprouted vines from beneath to entangle the wand wielding figure.

A second later both attacks were reduced to ashes when the flame on the tip of the wand grew in size and swallowed the whole area in fire.

"You should learn how to show respect to your betters." Parting the flames a blonde haired woman stepped forward, toying with her curly hair with a bored expression on her face.

"Leivinia Birdway. Your personal entertainer tonight." She stepped forward.

"Shit!" One of the robed mages cursed, turning to run but finding themselves on the floor a second later when a tall well dressed man knocked them out cold with a single kick to the head.

"Miss Birdway, I'd recommend not setting the alleyway on fire. It will drive attention to the area." Mark Space, personal aid to Leivinia said.

"Tsk, shut up Mark. Keep an eye on that one while I- Where do you think you're going!?" She yelled at the retreating back of the other robed figure, as they made their swift escape.

She shot off a fireball, missing the person by a hair when they turned the corner. Birdway gave chase down the alley, turning the same corner only to find the area empty.

"Ahhh! Mark you distracted me! I could've taken them both down! ILL HAVE YOUR HEAD FOR THIS!" She stomped in anger, raising her wand at the man.

"My apologies, but our mission was not to kill them but to simply capture them. We've got one, so that will be enough." Mark calmly said, raising the figure at his feet onto his shoulders before turning to the raging blonde.

"I swear you won't go unpunished. But you're right, let's rince this fool of any information." She walked past, leaving Mark to follow as they left the other end of the alley where a fancy black car awaited them.

"When we're done we'll pay a little visit to the man of the hour. We have a lot to discuss..." The grip on her symbolic weapon tightened and Leivinia Birdway got into the car.

Mark sighed, tossing the robed figure into the trunk before he himself got in. "I do pray for your safety Kamijou."

_ _ _ _

**A/N: Hello and welcome to the bottom! As always it is a pleasure to see you reach this far into the story and I myself do hope you like what you've read.**

**If the last part seemed rushed or somewhat clobbered together, know that I was running out of battery on my phone so I was in a bit of a rush. Also, please excuse any other rushed parts before that, I'm still new to all of this and some positive or negative criticism is always welcomed.**

**Anyway, did you like the chapter? I had a lot of fun writing it and coming up with the scenarios you've just read. Thank you for all the suggestions you've given me in the past chapter, hopefully I executed on them well enough to satisfy you, if not then please tell me what I've done wrong.**

**So, we started off with some Touma suffering. Can't say I didn't enjoy writing it, but I will say I could've done more. I want to leave some clues for all of you as to what happened to our unlucky hero that made him so troubled but I don't want to give away too much.**

**Although, I will say the constant mention of failure and that little bit of his thoughts at the end play a very big role in why he is who he is right now. Anyway, as stated by someone on discord, I lacked any detail when describing the Kamijou Restaurant (That was the best I had for the name) and the overall setting, so I crammed a lot of it into this chapter for the sake of world building, as we will spend much of our time in his establishment and home.**

**I also wanted to introduce more characters this time around, Yuriko makes a return along with the formerly mentioned Fumiko-san. We have more employees to go through but these two are possibly the closest to our favourite spiky head of hair, as shown by their loose behaviour around the man.**

**Stiyl was another character I really wanted to mention, as I believe he'd be the perfect bodyguard/right hand for Index, as he was for Laura/Lola Stuart. Also, I made him somewhat more friendly with Kamijou, as though the many missions he had with the lad would open him up a bit. I hope I showed that well.**

**Index, Index, Index….how the hell do I write casual conversation between the two of them!? I struggled for three days to think up something, if I had done so sooner I would've uploaded on Saturday, but I'm very inexperienced with social interactions between long standing friends, so I had no idea what to write. But, in the end I did something or other, which may or may not sit well with me.**

**Nevertheless, the main focus this chapter was to introduce characters for the future, show how they interact with one another, and to give more insight into Kamijou's struggling mind, mainly the latter.**

**I don't know what else I could say besides thank you for reading, next time we'll be having some shenanigans with the bombastically short-tempered Birdway who will definitely give our protagonist a bit of trouble.**

**As always, it was a pleasure.**

**Tootles~**


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